Hardcore criminal escapes long arm of the law... in a police car

SHAH ALAM: A hardcore criminal who fled house detention in Johor gave authorities the slip again this morning when he stole a police car in Batu Caves, near here.

The 5.30am incident happened when the 39-year-old man was detained for breaking into a warehouse there.

Gombak police chief Assistant Commissioner Ali Ahmad said police received an emergency call from the warehouse owner and dispatched a team of officer to respond to the break-in case.

“According our initial investigation, the suspect was apprehended, but shortly after, he drove away in a police patrol car.

“Policemen who gave chase found the vehicle along the Latar Highway near the exit to Guthrie Expressway about 30 minutes later, but the criminal had escaped.

“We have launched a manhunt for the suspect. Investigation is also underway to identify if there was element of negligence on the part of the policemen who responded to the incident,” he told reporters at the Selangor police headquarters, here earlier this evening.

Ali said the suspect had also left behind his 17-year-old nephew, whom police found at the crime scene.

The youth, a secondary school dropout, was arrested to facilitate investigations.

Ali said the suspect at large has a long rap sheet.

He was sentenced to house detention for an auto theft case in Gombak, but returned to his old ways in Johor and stole a car before going missing from authorities’ radar.